Wintry conditions don't keep the Tiverton Foxhounds indoors

WHILE turnout may have been less than in previous years due

to the wintry conditions, the spirit of the Boxing Day Meet was still in

abundance.

Horses were kept in their stables and for the first time

only the foxhounds made it to the Pannier Market for the annual meet on Monday

27 December.

Tiverton Foxhounds hunt master Kelvin Thomas said: “It’s a disappointment

that we’ve had to keep the horses away but this is exceptional weather and

everybody is struggling.

“It wasn’t safe to bring the horses that haven’t been out

hunting for around three weeks, but we wanted to come out as Boxing Day is very

important to us.”

John Dawes, assistant hunt master added: “The support here

is fantastic. Tiverton has always supported us for many years, and they’ve

shown their strength again today.”

Neil Parish MP for Tiverton & Honiton also made a speech

where he said the hunting ban under the Labour government was a ‘travesty of

justice’. He added: “It’s lovely to see everybody out enjoying themselves this

morning, and it just shows how strong support for hunting is still.

“In the House of Commons we (the Conservatives) are waiting

to repeal the Hunting Act when we are ready to do so.”

Neil added that he hoped the ban would be lifted within the

next two years: “We are doing our arithmetic in the House of Commons to make

sure that we actually win the vote, and David Cameron has said quite clearly we

can bring it onto the floor of the house whenever we like.”

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A video of the event will be posted on the Express & Echo website shortly.